Former Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has stated that a ban on social media for children under 16 would have prevented her recent resignation from government. Phillips, who stepped down in May, expressed her belief that such a ban is necessary to protect young people from online harms, citing instances of children as young as 10 being groomed on platforms like TikTok.
Speaking to ITV News, Phillips indicated that her departure from government aimed to bring momentum to the issue. She conveyed gratitude for the recent announcement by Sir Keir Starmer, who has given tech companies three months to implement changes to prevent children from sending and receiving explicit images, or face new legislation. Phillips has been actively communicating with decision-makers on this policy.
Phillips has been a long-term advocate for safeguarding children online and supports a comprehensive ban for those under 16. She highlighted a government consultation where 90% of respondents favored a ban. While acknowledging the economic importance of tech companies, she emphasized that from a safeguarding perspective, these platforms are not safe. Phillips hopes the new measures will lead to a global shift towards preventing harm rather than just reacting to it.
